PINEDALE - The Upper Green River region of the Bridger-Teton National Forest north of here is host to the largest grazing allotment complex in the national forest system, proving forage for about 7,500 head of cattle.

It's a place where about 20 local ranches send their cattle up a 100-year-old trail each summer, "drifting" the animals to the mountain, where they graze together in common allotments. They drift back to lower ground when cold weather turns the leaves on the mountains into their October splendor of colors.

Recovery of gray wolves and grizzly bears has meant an expansion of the range of these two federally protected species into the cattle country of the Upper Green. The result has been an intensive cooperative effort between state and federal wildlife officials and the ranching community to quickly respond to and resolve livestock depredation conflicts.

Last Saturday, a young adult male grizzly bear was captured at the scene of a cow kill in the Upper Green. Because this young bear, weighing in at 420 pounds, hadn't had a history of getting in trouble, it was moved to Park County and released near the Montana border, according to Mark Bruscino of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

On Monday, wildlife officials caught and killed a grizzly bear on a calf carcass. This bear had a history of involvement in livestock depredations in the Upper Green and had been moved from the area, only to return and kill again, Bruscino said.

Bruscino said with Monday's killing of a bear, control efforts on grizzlies have ended unless other problems arise.

For more details read Thursday's Casper Star-Tribune.